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I had a number of beads to finish up from my Margaret Zinser course I took a couple years ago at Bead and Button. Margaret is an entomologist by training so her bugs are exquisitehttp://www.woodeyestudios.com/Woodeye_Glassware/Friends/Pages/Margaret_Zinser_-_Lampwork_Beads.html

The second package was as amazing. It contained tons of blue toned beads. Some were royal blue some were turquoise. There was a cool blue enameled bird clasp. Tiny turquoise ceramic houses, beautiful fabric ribbon. some lovely silver connectors, birds and buttons. I had a focal blue leaf oval too. Some many fun items I can’t wait to start to create.

My amazing bead soup partner sent me not one but two soup recipes all wrapped up in fabric and ribbons.

I opened the first purple one first. In it was a fabulous pendant made by Monique and then some matching seedish type beads in some great colors. Also there were mother of pearl connectors, mother of pearl beads, multiple other great bits and a brass clasp.

So I am back in the Bead Soup mix. Lori Anderson of Pretty Things Blogspot http://www.prettythingsblog.com has outdone herself again with her magic of grouping over 450 of us into pairs to exchange goodies which will challenge our creativity. Last time I was lucky enough to be paired with JoAnne Woolverton and sent this coolThen she made a whole bunch of funky things with these ingredients:

This time I am lucky to be paired with another fellow Canadian Monique Urquhart from Bathurst, NB. She likes to include lots of variety into her projects so I will have to really look through my stash to find some gems to send. Anyway I will work on it. In the mean time check out her blog at http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com

So for the past week I have been wildly etching any metal I can get my hands on. My studio has been chemical smell central. So here is the first of many fun etched mixed media jewelry items to come….. I used one of my bead soup clear fantastic briolettes which is hanging from the hand.

Copper etched plate on a leather cuff with antique buttons and other vintage niblets.

HI Everyone, this is my second time participating in the Bead Soup Party (huge thanks to Lori Anderson – organizer extraodinaire for all her work). I just love this idea and to participate with such a fun and giving community.

I was so lucky to have such a wonderful partner as Jo-Ann Woolverton. She sent me such a fabulous assortment of wonder.

Assortment of Soup ingredients

So I made a number of wonderful items that went with kind of an ocean theme for the big necklace. I added in some of my stash of silver sea type shells etc.

The necklace that used almost all the bits as well as the large lampwork focal.

Then I made some matching earrings. I really enjoyed working with the small etched blue beads and the lovely silver bent discs.

navy swaroski, then cool silver discs followed by the etched blue square beads, smaller silver discs then another swaroski and a silver swirl dangle.

Then of course I needed to make a matching bracelet with the beads, more silver and dangles.

I also had to make some earrings out of the darling blue tear drop shaped beads that she sent.

The blue tear drop beads “blinged up” with a navy swarovski and a little silver disc.

Finally I created a totally different themes set of earring with the gorgeous clear briolettes that she sent. I haven’t used this shape much but sure did love them on the earrings and I have incorporated them into a cuff I will share later.

Etched nickel behind the copper hands then the fabulous briolettes at the bottom.

Thanks again to Jo-Ann and a huge thanks to Lori Anderson for her selfless work on this fantastic project that coordinates us all into pairs and reveal dates. It is really appreciated.

Wow check out all the “gold” I got from Jo-Ann. What a treasure trove I will have to work with. Thanks so much Jo-Ann for your generosity. She sent me all kinds of things in the ivory, silver, blue theme: lamp work, cool silver discs. dark blue swarovski, awesome cool square blue beads and then dainty tear dropped partially etched blue beads. Oh so much I can’t wait to make.